After many years and many attempts, Disney finally gives gamers a game that shows the more mischievous and adventurous side of their beloved Mickey Mouse. Epic Mickey has the title character going through a mirror in his house that warps him to Yen Sid’s workshop. Mickey notices the land that Yen has created and the tool he has used to make the land lying next to Yen, a magic paintbrush. Mickey proceeds to use the paintbrush by trying to paint a portrait and while doing this, he accidentally spills a blot of ink on the land. Mickey trys to use paint thinner to clean it up, making more of a mess in the process. When he hears Yen Sid returning to the room and he makes an escape back through the mirror. Years and years of fame later, Mickey is visited by the ink blot and taken to the land now known as “the wasteland.” It is here which he finds Oswald the lucky rabbit (who hasn’t been a major character in anything Disney since 1928) who is overly jealous of Mickey’s fame. Armed with Yen Sid’s magic brush, the player will use paint and thinner to solve puzzles while adventuring through this ravaged cartoon wasteland.

The story is really well told throughout the game and is very original. As Mickey progresses through the levels he comes across friends and foes alike that can help aid him on his journey depending on the actions players make. The player is given choices with different outcomes for each decision. The paint and thinner concept is quite unique to say the least. By pointing the Wii remote at the screen, you aim and paint with the “B” button and use thinner with the “Z” button. For example, say there is a section that looks like it is missing, gamers can try using the paint to fix it and use thinner if they need to remove some cartoon-like objects. The player can also use the thinner to eliminate the enemies or use paint to befriend them.

In between levels, Mickey goes into a projector screen, taking him to an old memorable cartoon scene set in a side-scroll platform style. There are film reels to collect as well as pins which make each level worth exploring thoroughly. Upon your exploration, players can obtain sketches through finding them or receiving them as a reward. The sketches can be used in the wasteland and turned into real objects to help against enemies or solve puzzles. There is a quest-based system for each level, with goals to achieve before progressing onward, which is very similar to many platforming games. Guardians can also be found floating around Mickey and help him by guiding the player to a point of interest or taking care of enemies as seen fit.

Disney has made a stellar and more interesting portrayal of Mickey in this exclusive Wii release. The paint system is very unique and fun to use when solving puzzles or dealing with enemies. The quest system is a nice touch with Epic Mickey, making it stand out from other typical platform-adventure titles. There is definitely a replay value with this one, simply from the different effects from your choices. Very addictive gameplay keeps many gamers easily losing track of time and wanting more. I’d love to see another take on this game, perhaps a sequel for the Wii U?